Conveying apparatus



10, P. R; HORNBROOK I CONVEYING APPARATUS IN VEN TOR.

- BY I Filed Jul'y22, 194s s Sheets-Sheet 1' I July 10; 1945. P. RHORNBROOK 2,330,311

CONVEYING APPARATUS Fil ed July 2, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 10,1945. P. R. HORNBROOK 2,380,311

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Ju1 22, 194s ssheets-speet 3 30 25 NVENTOR.

BY I? 1 e 9 2mm 20/;

Patented July 10, 1945 UNITED TATES OFFICE.

Philip R. Hornbrp'ok, Allentown, Pa., ass ig1'1or to] Fuller ,Company,Cattasaugugfag a corporation of Delaware imam Ju1y22, 1943, Serial no". 495 ,7120 i scamsa z zm .mctoroperated valves which preventtheentrance This invention relates to pneumatic conveying apparatus for pulverulent, granular and .crushed material, and of thetypewhich includesa-plurality .of receivers .connected by a" common .conduit to a source of material supply, and :a positive,- pressure means for maintaining .the necessary -air flowithrough the conduit to the receivers .to.carry a mixture of .air and material. Thenew. system is oi general utility, but forpurposesof explanation, its use in connection with the handling of of'smaterial :to (the receiver when in their closed position. I v

"The several additional receivers are normally shutoff from the one'sside a sectionof the conduit adjacent that coalfrom the crusher ,to the receivers or storage bins will vbe described.

,I-Ieretofore it has been .the practice ;to construct the system for conveyingcoal froma-central point to a plurality of spaced points with a single con.- duit having .a positive-pressure means at one end to maintain the necessary air .flowto .carry 'the material-to the most remote receiver. {Each'receiver is .connected to the single "conduit byasuitable pipe .line and communication ,between {the single conduit and eachiconnecting .pipe line is controlled by a'positive acting valve Which,1when air from thereceivers when they. areconnected through their respective ValMeSFtQthGqSiDE1;QOl-f duitforfilling. A a The present invention is, accordingly, directed ;mote1yv controlled and comprises a section of the able section of the conduit is, at 'thesametime,"

receiver and, eat the same time, ibringingdeflecting-:means carried :by the conduit section ,to a position in which it diverts the flow from the fixed portion of the iconduitintolthe receiver.

' lithe :velocity'of the streamofairand material isctempora-riiy reduced when material isibeing diverted into :any oneof the receivers and ;the-rna. terial falls from suspension and is deposited in the: receiver, while the .entraining :air :fiows back intmthe .singleconduit andeven-tually to thei-dust collector.

"Each diverting means for controlling :the flow of @material to an intermediate receiver is ;re

main conduit'which is pivotally mounted .at one end and has a retractable sealing means at .its

other end for sealing that end to the adjacent endoi :a fix'ed portion of thezmain conduit. The

"diverting-means is operatedyby a motor and in the}- i-ni'tial action of the latter to cause the-means idivert material, the sealing means is first :re- 'tracted to break the seal and, thereafter, the pivoted conduit section is swung-upward in a vertical plane. Adeflector mountedcn themovraised to a position in which it deflects into the to provisionof apparatus for conveying vpulveru lent, granular and crushedimaterial i n-wl Q material is caused to flow through asinglemonduit by a; differential of, pressure to-one of a plurality of receivers adapted to be selectivelyconnecteddo the conduit, the new apparatus including novel means to divert the material tc the selelfited receiver in a manner to deposit the mater l-theree in while maintaining the .flow of entralning air from the receiver through the sin condu The apparatus of the invention .;comprises a single conduit having apositiveepressure means receiver, material issuin f rom'-the fixed portion I of the conduit. The air from which theentrained material has beendeposited within the receiver connected to one end in .order to maintain a difierential of pressure .in theconduit andcause a flow of air and material therethrough. Ihe end of the conduit remote from the positive-pressure means is connected to the upper portion lot ga receiver. i

A plurality of additional receivers are connectfid to the single conduit in advance of :thereceiver at the terminaliend, and :the openingsfrfrcrn the single conduit :tolthe receivers are controlled by passes out ofthe' receiver and entersthe open end cf th condui b yon th p v ted s s i h air continues through the main conduit to the terminal .receiver through which it flows into the t vs collc t t- Y Qr. a b t e underst d g of h .i e ti n, re e enc ma beheld to-th qwmpa d awine inwhi A jFjig. l is. an e1eva ticn partly in section and with Pa t broken away t illu r teith d ve n m cha m; 1 V ,Fiesen-ele ati p rtl inse onshelvi 9. .1 19 thedi e tinsmec ani m i nd tail;

is a se t n a e al ng l e o Fig-2; e Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical,section of lthe ic na end-Q h mov b e ect c con u conduit, but the material may hevdiverted to a selected receiver :by swin ing to pivoted end of the movable section of conduit; and

Fig. 6 is a section taken along line -5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus illustrated will be seen to include a single conveying line or conduit I0, terminating at one end in the upper portion of a receiver Material from storage means |2 may be delivered to the conduit l5 upon operation of valve l3 and carto any one of a number of receivers disposed along the conduit ID in advance of the terminal receiver H, by the operation of divertin means generally designated l8. Each diverting means comprises an air-tight housing l9 mounted on the'top of a receiver I1 and in communication with the interior of the receiver through an opening 20 in the top of the latter. Within the housing 9 is a section 2| of conduit H! which is mounted to be swung in a vertical plane about a pivot pin 22 by means of a motor operated crank arm 23. The conduit section 2| is supported on the pin 22 by an car 24 extending from an annular seat, 25 threaded on the adjacent end of conduit sectiona I. Beyond the end of section 2|, main conduit I3 is provided with a flange 2B 6' and an annular member 21 is bolted to the flange, with a gasket 28 of fiber, rubber, or other suitable material, between the two parts. Pivot pin 22 is mounted-in ears 29 which. are integral with the annular member 21. When section 2| is in conveying position, the face of seat 25 bears tightly .against a gasket 30 mounted on the adjacent end of the annular member 21. p

. Threaded on the, free end of conduit section 2| is a cylindrical member 3|, the free face 32 of which lies in a plane inclined to the longitudinal axis of section 2 I. A flexible annular member 33 of rubber or like material is held against the free face 32 by a ring 34 secured to member 3| by suitable means. The outer diameter of member 33 is substantially greater than that of member 3| and secured to one face of the projecting portion of member 33 is an annular backing member 35 which encircles the member 3| and is spaced from the periphery thereof. A sealing gasket 36 is mounted on the opposite face member 33, the gasket, and the backing member 35 are secured together by fastening means, suchas screws 31.

' When the movable conduitsection 2| is in conveying position, the gasket 36 bears against the inclined face 33 of a cylindrical member 39, which is secured on the inner Wall of housing IS in alignment with the opening into the housing to which the main conduit It leads. The mem- A pin 43 is mounted in the free end of crank arm 23 and on the pin is mounted a connecting of the projecting portionof member 33; and the rod 44 which is adjustable in length. A spring .45 encircles the rod 44 and bears at its lower end against a stirrup 46 which is mounted on the lower end of rod 44 and has a pair of arms extending downwardly on either side of conduit section 2 A deflector 41 of appropriate shape is mounted on the under side of conduit section 2| by struts 48, and a pair of bell cranks 49, one on either side of conduit section 2|, are pivoted on a pin 50 mounted on the deflector. The horizontal arm of each bell crank is pivotally connected to the lower end of one of the arms of stirrup 46 at 5| while the vertical arms of the bell cranks are pivoted at 52 to the ends of connecting rods 53. The other end of each connecting rod 53 is pivotally secured to a pin 54 mounted in a lug on the annular backing member 35.

Mounted on each side of the conduit section 2| adjacent the pivot 52 is a bracket 55 in which is threaded an adjustable stop screw 56. An arm 51 projecting inwardly from the wall of housing l9 carries an adjustable stop screw 58 adapted to bear against a reinforcing plate 59 secured against the under surface of the deflecting means.

Housing I9 is stiffened by rods 50 which extend through the housing walls and through the end flanges 23 and 4| of the main conduit sections abutting those walls. on the shaft of a motor 6| supported outside the housing and the motor may be controlled remotely or otherwise. To strengthen the construction, the deflector 41 is secured to the conduit section 2| by aU-shaped member 62 in the legs of which the pivot pin 55 is mounted.

In the operation of the apparatus, blower l4 forces air at high velocity through conduit l0 and, upon opening of valve i3, the material to be conveyed flows from the supply bin l2 into conduit l0 and is entrained in the air stream. The entrained material is carried through the conduit ID to the terminal receiver H, in which the material is deposited, while the air, together with any dust remaining in suspension, flows on through conduit |5 into dust collector l6, where the suspended particles are removed and the air is allowed to escape to the atmosphere.

When the terminal receiver II has been filled to the desired level, the-motor 5| of the diverting means of the next adjacent receiver is operated to cause its crank arm 3| to swing in a clockwise direction. Connecting rod 44 and stirrup 45 are likewise raised and bell cranks 49 are swung-on their pivot 50. The swinging of the bell cranks causes connecting rods 53 to move to the left, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the rods pull the backing member 35 with them until the sealing gasket 35 is moved free of the face 38 of the cylindrical member 39. This movement of backing member 35 is accompanied by flexure of the annularmember 33 and, when gasket 35 is free from face 38, the seal between the free end of conduit section 2| and the adjacent end of conduit I0 is broken. The movement of the rods 53 continues until the verticalarms of the bell cranks engage the stop screws 56, whereupon the bell cranks remain fixed relative to section 2| and further movement of the crank arm 23 causes conduit section 2| and its associated parts to swing in a counterclockwise direction about pivot 22. In the swinging of the conduit section, the annular seat member 25 moves away from gasket30 to permit access of air into the section of the main conduit 10 beyond the adjacent end of conduit section 2|. 'L The movement of the conduit section 2| con:

Crank arm 23 is mounted aecaaii I I tion of the conduit, and uponturther movement tinues until deflector Misbrought up into pos'iv *tion in front of theend of conduit t!) leading into the housing. The- -entrainedmaterial issui ng I I from conduit H] thereupon impinges upon plate E's-"and is deflected therefrom through the -opening into receiver H. -'The greatly increased cross-se-ctional-area of the receiver overthat of the conduit results in'a drop in the velocityof the entrained air and the'ma'ter-ial drops therefrom toward the bottom of the receiver by gravity. Receiver H and housing I 9 are air-tight and the air, from which the'material'has been separated accordingly, escapes through the" .space between member and 21 into conduit I O beyond the receiver and flows-on through the conduit, When c receiver has been fi lled and desired level,,

crank arm -23is l'oweredand. the conduit section is returned to. its normal position witi aits axis coincident with'that of main -conduit ll]. I Asthe conduit section moves down to its position of rest,

its "ends arese'ale'd to the adjacent-fixed zp'ortions terial throug'h the conduit section without escape to sw-ing the pivotedsection out of the axis of the adjacentsectionsof the conduit, whereby en-' trained -material may be deposited f in i said receiverand fluid flow maintained throughout said conduit simultaneouslm the actuating means for the pivoted section initially moving a portion of said pivoted section, in translation,away firom the adjacent conduit section a distance suflicient to breakthesealtherewith;

4.-In ;pneumatic1convey1ng apparatus, 'a conduit through: which material is conveyed by .a

fluid under pressure, said conduit having .a. piyoted section intermediate its-ends, said pivoted section. normally being sealed at itsends to adjacentl sections of. the conduit to :form a :continuous passage for material, ,a receiver adjacent said pivoted section, a fluid-proof housing enclosing said pivoted section and communicating withsaid'receiver, and means connected to said pivoted secticnzacting initially to break the seal between one end of the pivoted section..-and

the adjacent section of the conduit and upon further movement to swing the pivoted section out of the axis of the adjacentsections ofgthe conduit, whereby entrained material m'aybe .de- I posited in said receiver and fluid flow :maintained throughout said conduit simultaneously,

' :thexmeansgto break the seal between :the :pivoted ous passage for material, a receiver adjacent said I pivoted section, a fluid-proof housing-enclosing said pivoted section and communicating with said receiver, and means connected to said pivoted sec 'tion acting initially to break the seal between one section and :the adjacent section of'the :conduit and to swing the pivoted section out of the axis of the adjacent sections of the conduit'including a bell crank pivoted on said pivoted section, stop means mountedjon said pivoted section adjacent an arm of said bell crank, means connecting 3 an arm of said bell crank to a sealed end of said end of the pivoted section and the adjacent sec- 1 tion of the conduit, and upon further movement to swing the pivoted section out of the axis of the adjacent sections of the conduit, whereby entrained material may be deposited in said receiver and fluid flow maintained throughout said conduit simultaneously. i

2. In pneumatic conveying apparatus, a conduit through which material is conveyed by a fluid under pressure, saidconduit having a pivoted section intermediate its ends, said pivoted pivoted section, operating means, and. means .cOnnecting the other arm of said bell crank to said operating means whereby movement of said operating means rotates said bell crank until it meets said stop means and said'flrst connecting means has broken the seal at a sealed end of said pivoted section, subsequent motion of said operatingqmeans swinging said pivoted section out of the axis of said conduit.

5. In means to control' the flow of fluidentrained material, a conduit having a pivoted secsection normally being sealed at its ends to adjacent sections of the conduit to form a continuous passage for material, a receiver adjacent said pivoted section, afiuid-pro0f housing enclosing said pivoted section and communicating with said receiver, and means connected to said pivoted'section acting initially to-break the seal betweenone end of the pivoted section and the adjacent section of the conduit, and upon further movement to swing the pivoted section out of the axis i of the adjacent sections of the conduit, a deflector mounted on said pivoted section and movable therewith to a position opposite one of the adjacent sections of the conduit to deflect'a moving stream of entrained material emitted from said section into the receiver. I v

3. In pneumatic conveying apparatus, a conduit through which material is conveyed by av fluid under pressure, said conduit having a pivoted section intermediate its ends, said pivoted section normally being sealed at its ends to adjacent sections of the conduit to form a continuous passage for material, a receiver adjacent said pivoted section, a fluid-proof housing enclosing said Divoted section and communicating with saidreceiver, and means'connected to said pivoted section acting initially to break-the seal between one end of the pivoted section and the adjacent sectrainedmaterial, a conduithaving a pivoted'section intermediate its ends, a member mounted tion intermediate its ends, a member mounted on one endof said pivoted section'and having a ,flexible gasket extending outwardly therefrom and cooperating with the end of the section adjacent thereto'to form a seal, an annular member mounted on the flexible gasket and. spaced outwardly from the member at said end of the pivoted section, actuating means connected to said annular member, means for operating said actuating means to initially move the annular member axially of said conduit away from the adjacent section of the conduit to break the seal, and thereafter to swing the pivoted section out 1 ofthe axis of said conduit.

, 6. In means to control the flow of fluid enon' one end of said pivoted section and having a flexible gasket extending outwardly therefrom and cooperating with the end of the section adjacent thereto to form a seal, an annular member mounted on the flexible gasket and spaced outwardly from the member at said end of the pivoted section, the flexible gasket and the annular member mounted thereon and the coop-- erating end of the adjacent section of the conduit extending at an angle oblique to the axis of the conduit, actuating means connected to said annular member, means for operating said actuating means to initially move the annular member axially of said conduit away from the adjacent section of the conduit to break the seal, and thereafter to swing the pivoted section out of the axis of said ainduit.

'7. In means to control the flow of material, a conduit having a movable section, means pivotally mounting said movable section so that it may be swung out of the axis of the conduit, one end of the pivoted section and the end of the section of the conduit adjacent thereto having cooperating sealing means, each provided with annular sealing surfaces at an angle oblique to the axis of the conduit, an axiallymovable member connected to the sealing means at said one end of the pivoted section, actuating means for moving said member axially of the conduit and for swinging the pivoted section, and means for operating said actuating means toinitially move said member axially of the conduit away from the end of the adjacent section of the conduit to break the seal between said cooperating sealing surfaces, and thereafter to swing the pivoted section out of the axis of the conduit.

8. In means to control the flow of material, a conduit having a movable section, means pivotally mounting said movable section so that it may be swung out of the axis of the conduit, a

flexible sealing flange secured to the other end of the pivoted section, said flange having a sealing surface cooperating with a sealing surface at the, end of the section of the conduit adjacent thereto, said, sealing surfaces being at an angle oblique to the axis of the conduit, an annular member surrounding said other end of the pivoted section and secured to said flange, actuating means for moving said annular member axially of the conduit and for swinging the pivoted section, and means for operating said actuating means to initially move said annular member, and the flange secured thereto, axially of the conduit away from the end of the adjacent section of the conduit to break the seal between the cooperating sealing surfaces, and thereafter to swing the pivoted section out of the axis of the conduit.

9. In means to control the flow of material as set forth in claim 8, in which the movable section is pivoted adjacent one end thereof, and in which the actuating means for moving the annular member axially of the conduit and for swinging the movable section includes spring means normally urging the annular member in a direction to cause the sealing surface of the flexible flange to bear against the cooperating sealing surface at the end of said section of the conduit adjacent thereto.

PHILIP R. HORNBROOK. 

